A Job Well Done
by Buttersketch
Summary: Mako is hard at work developing a new fertilizer and Lillian is doing everything she can to help him. Lillian/Mako romance
1. Chapter 1

Ch. 1

There were three new requests posted on the message board that morning. Lillian removed all three papers from the board, carefully folding them and placed them in a pocket in her bag. She knew for certain that she had the flowers that Ying requested in her bag and she was fairly certain that she had the poisonous mushrooms that Ayame wanted back at home.

Lillian had only been living Konohana since that Spring, but she had expanded her fields twice since and her farm was full of vegetables and flowers. It was still early in the fall season though, so most of her vegetables were immature. Although people in Konohana focused mainly crops, Lillian raised some livestock: two hens, one cow and one sheep as well as two dogs and a cat to help with the livestock. The two dogs rushed over, tails wagging, barking eagerly, happy to see their young mistress. With a laugh, she pushed the dogs aside and investigated the storage cart. To her dismay, while she did indeed have the mushrooms, but they had gone bad and she knew that Dr. Ayame would not accept them. Lillian was about to throw them away when she remembered the third request. She smiled and pulled the mushrooms back out as she headed to the stove.

She dropped one mushroom in a pot and the other she placed in the frying pan and let them cook for a few minutes. The results were far from edible, but that was the whole point. She put the two failed dishes in her bag and headed for the tea house,.

It was not a terribly far walk and in less than half an hour, Lillian had arrived the the tea house. It was not a large building, and most of the large front room was taken up by Yun's kitchen. The tea house, as always, smelled incredible. Yun was the best cook in Konohana and Lillian hoped to be as good as her some day.

"Good morning, Lillian," Yun greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning, Yun," Lillian replied. "Is Ying at home?"

"She's in the back," Yun replied. "Shall I call her out?"

"Oh there's no need. I'll just go see her myself."

"That's fine, dear."

Lillian walked into the back room of the tea house, a long single room that was Yun and Ying's living quarters. As always there were toys strewn about the room. Although Ying was not really a messy child, her illness sometimes made it hard for her to put her toys away when she was tired from playing and Yun was often too busy working. Lillian didn't mind the mess. It gave the room a pleasant, lived-in feel. She found Ying sitting on the floor, playing quietly with her dolls and stuffed animals.

"Hello, Ying," Lillian spoke quietly, so as not to disturb the little girl.

"Hello Lillian!"

"I brought the flowers you requested," Lillian said as she pulled them out of her bag.

"Oh thank you!" Ying said with a happy smile. "I... wrote a letter to my mommy and daddy...and wanted...some flowers to send along with it."

From the next room they could hear Yun greeting a customer.

"Maybe that's Dirk!" Ying exclaimed. She rushed over to the table and grabbed an envelope off it. Shoving the flowers into it, she hurried into the restaurant. Lillian followed closely. So closely, in fact, that when Ying suddenly stopped, Lillian nearly bumped into her.

The customer who was standing at the counter was not Dirk. He was much taller, broader and older than the local mailman. He noticed the two girls standing in the doorway and waved, a big grin spreading over his face.

"Greetings to you, Ying and Lillian!" Mako called out cheerfully.

"Good morning, Mako," Lillian replied. Ying said nothing, but she pressed closer to Lillian.

"Ying..." Yun said in a disapproving tone.

"...good ...morning, Mako..." Ying whispered.

"Ah, what do you have there? Some flowers?" Mako asked, walking over. Ying whimpered, and hid her face in Lillian's skirt. Mako stopped short, frowning. Realizing Ying was on the verge of tears, Lillian decided to intervene.

"Oh, um, Mako, didn't you put a request on the message board?" she asked, stepping forward.

"Yes, I did, just this morning. You don't mean to say that you already have what I want?"

With Mako distracted, Ying scurried past him and out the door of the tea house.

"I don't understand why that child is so frightened of me," Mako muttered.

Lillian pulled out the two failed dishes and handed them to Mako. His face lit up in a giant grin.

"Yes, this is exactly what I wanted. This will make excellent fertilizer."

Mako's enthusiasm was infectious and Lillian found herself smiling as well. It was true that he was a rather imposing looking man, and Lillian could understand Ying's fright. She herself had been intimidated by Mako at first. But once she had gotten over her initial fear, she learned that Mako only looked intimidating. He was a kind, well-spoken (if rather loud...) and intelligent man. Lillian counted him among her best friends in Konohana.

"Now, a reward for a job well done," Mako said, but before he could hand the reward over to Lillian, another customer entered the tea house.

"Good morning, Dr. Ayame," Yun said. Mako turned and as he looked at Ayame, a wistful expression came over his face. Lillian had never seen such an expression on her friends face and wondered about it.

"Good morning, everyone!" Ayame replied. She was smiling, but she looked rather tired. Ayame walked over to the counter and placed an order with Yun.

"Ah, if you're eating lunch here-" Mako began, but Ayame cut him off.

"Actually, I'm going right back to the clinic," she said to Mako and then addressed Yun. "Can you wrap them up to go?"

"Of course, dear."

"Kana had a rather nasty fall when he was out riding," Ayame explained. "He'll be all right, but I want him stay at the clinic for a while for observation."

"Oh no, poor Kana!" Lillian exclaimed.

"Poor thing!" Yun said, adding some extra dumplings to the order.

"He'll be fine," Ayame said, as Yun handed her the food. "And you know, there _is_ always a bright side."

"What could it possibly be?" Mako asked.

"I get to spend my day with two good-looking young men!" Ayame said with a laugh.

Mako's shoulders slumped and he looked utterly dejected. Suddenly Lillian understood the situation. Mako was in love with Ayame. She didn't seem aware of his feelings in the slightest though. Or, if she was, then she was acting with a cruelty that Lillian had not known Ayame had in her. Lillian hoped it was the first. She could not imagine the kind, laid-back doctor acting that way. Standing there in the tea house, Lillian suddenly felt like she wanted to cry. She wasn't sure exactly why, but the urge was very strong. She swallowed the lump in her threat and tugged at Mako's sleeve.

"Hm?" he said.

"Um, the request..."

"What? Oh, of course, my dear, of course," Mako handed her some tea and some coins. "You did a good job."

"Thank you," Lillian murmured. The urge to cry came on again.

"Ah well, I should get back to work," Mako said and he left the tea house. He walked slowly and his shoulders were still slumped.

Lillian stood there for a moment, trying to compose herself, swallowing the lump in her throat and blinking back tears. Yun noticed her and came over. She put her arm around Lillian and gave her a gentle hug.

"Kana will be fine. Ayame is a wonderful doctor," Yun murmured.

Lillian shook her head, finally understanding her pain. Of course she was worried about Kana but that wasn't why she wanted to cry.

"Mako is in love with Ayame," she whispered.

Yun was a bit surprised at Lillian's response but she didn't show it as she replied, "Yes. He's been in love with her for some time now."

"She doesn't know?"

"I don't think so," Yun replied. She walked back over to her stove and Lillian followed her. "I don't know why, but Mako has never outright confessed to her and Ayame isn't very perceptive when it comes to things like that."

Lillian nodded, glad to hear that Ayame had not been deliberately cruel to Mako. She felt a little bad for even suspecting the kind-hearted doctor of such a thing. But she was more confused than ever over her own response. Why should realizing that mako was in love with Ayame make her want to cry?

Lillian left the tea shop and walked up to the mountain. She had no particular goals and just wandered around, occasionally plucking flowers or picking herbs and putting them in her bag. When she arrived at one of her favorite fishing spots, she pulled out her rod and tried to fish. But this didn't last long. Lillian felt restless and wanted to move. She moved more quickly now and ignored the plants around her. As she walked, she thought, trying to sort through her confusing emotions. Mako was one of her dearest friends and while Lillian was not close to Ayame, she admired the older woman a great deal. If Mako was in love with Ayame, shouldn't Lillian be happy for them? She should want Ayame to return his feelings.

But she didn't want that. Not at all.

And by the time Lillian finally admitted to herself why she didn't want that, she had nearly reached Bluebell. She stopped by the shallow pond at the base of the mountain and looked at her reflection. It rippled in the water, then broke completely when a fish swam by. For an instant the distorted reflection made Lillian look as if she had but one eye.

And then, finally, she admitted the strange feelings that confused her so.

She was in love with Mako.

_AN: I haven't written anything in quite a while. I'd really love to get some good constructive criticism!_


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

Despite realizing her feelings, Lillian actually felt more insecure now. Dr. Ayame was Mako's ideal woman: intelligent, mature, laid-back and beautiful. How could Lillian compare to that? While Lillian was pretty, there was still a girlish quality about her that seemed lacking compared to Ayame's mature beauty. And while the doctor was always calm and knew how to act in every situation, Lillian was often tongue-tied and shy. Ayame teased everyone and flirted with all the young men, and Lillian sometimes lacked the courage to even nod to Hiro or Kana when she passed them in the streets of Konohana.

This lack of courage made her avoid Mako for a week or so following her realization. She was too afraid she'd act strangely or be too tongue-tied to speak. She spent a lot of time in the mountains, collecting herbs, fishing, catching bugs, just staying out of town as much as possible to avoid any chance encounters with him. She even avoided the tea house, making her own food instead or else buying meals at the cafe in Bluebell. She tried to keep busy, and took on many message board requests to fill up her time. It seemed like she was constantly on the move, running back and forth between Bluebell and Konohana, but despite her constant movement, the days went by slowly. Lillian missed her friend dearly and knew that she would have to work up the courage soon to talk to him.

One day, towards the end of Fall, Lillian went to check the message board. It was loaded with new requests. Kana wanted some material stone, Ina was asking for some fish, Hiro was requesting herbs and Rahi needed flowers. And there was one more request. Mako wanted someone to help him harvest the fruits from his orchard. For him, this was an unusual request. His fruit trees were his pride and joy and it seemed very odd that he would allow just anyone to harvest them. Lillian was so curious about the request, that she was able to put her insecurities aside and decided to take the request herself.

She took all five papers down from the message board, carefully folding them and placing them in the special pocket in her bag. She already had material stone at home and could have easily done Kana's request first, but after over a week of self-imposed exile, Lillian could no longer bear staying away from Mako and she knew she had to see him. She cut through Gombe's fields, waving at Nori as she passed, and jumped over the stream. As she climbed over the fence, she realized that Mako was not outside, tending to his orchard. This was highly unusual, and Lillian began to worry. Perhaps he was ill?

She walked over to the house he shared with his niece, Reina, and found that the door was unlocked. That meant that someone was home, so she let herself in. Mako's house was filled with exotic plants. Some of the plants bore fruit, but most of them were flowering plants and the air in the house was always filled with the aroma of the flowers. The scent even clung to Mako and Reina's clothing. Neither seemed aware of it, but many residents of Konohana noticed it and could tell them apart from the others based on their scent alone.

Mako was not in the large front room, which was a combination living room and kitchen. Lillian knew that it was unlikely that he was upstairs. The second floor was largely for Reina's own use. It was were she slept and conducted her own plant research. There was only one other room Mako could be in, his own bedroom.

Lillian walked slowly to the far room. The door was open, so she peered in. Inside, the room was dimly lit, for the curtains were drawn closed and the only light came from a single candle on the small table where Mako was seated, which was cluttered with papers and books. Mako was hunched over the table, writing furiously in a large notebook, occasionally muttering to himself. He was hard at work and for a moment, Lillian thought it would be best not to interrupt him, but then she remembered the request, and softly called out his name.

He didn't seem to hear her, so Lillian walked into the room and approached the table. He didn't notice her, partly because he was too focused on his work, but also because Lillian approached him from his blind side. When she gently touched his shoulder, he jumped.

"Lillian! You startled me!"

"I'm sorry. Um...I... saw the request you posted on the message board," she replied, pulling the paper out her bag.

"What? Oh. Oh! Yes, that," Mako said, getting to his feet. "Come with me."

In the bright Autumn sunlight outside, Lillian was able to get a better look at her dear friend and what she saw upset her. Mako had dark circles under his eyes and his overall appearance was rather disheveled. He looked as if he had not showered or shaved in days.

"Um, Mako, are you...are you ill?"

"Ill? No. why do you ask?"

"Oh, um, you look ter-, uh, tired. A-and the request seemed a bit odd, so I thought maybe you weren't feeling well,"

"I feel fine. I've been working," Mako explained. "I'm on the break-through with a new type of fertilizer. I suppose I must look tired. I've been staying up late most nights, working on my research. It's really quite fascinating.

"At any rate, I have been so absorbed in my work that I've neglected my magnificent orchard. This is the last harvest of the season and I will need the income to fund my research. Will you help me?"

"Of course!"

"I'm sure you'll do a fine job. I leave you to your work." And with that, Mako back inside and Lillian set to work.

Though it was still Fall, the weather was already growing cold. The seasons usually changed very quickly, but Winter was already making its presence know. Despite the chill, Lillian worked quickly and the exercise warmed her up. She had no trees on her own farm yet, and at first, jumping up to grab the fruits from the trees seemed awkward, but after a few tries she got the hang of it and before long she had harvested all the fruits from the trees. Mako was so pleased by how quickly she worked that he insisted on giving her one of the fruits she had harvested, a shiny red apple, as a bonus to the other rewards.

"You've earned it!" he said, handing everything, the apple, the grape seeds and some money, to her.

"Mako..."

"Yes?"

Please, don't push yourself too hard. I don't want you to get sick!"

Mako smiled. "You needn't worry bout me...but...I will try to keep a more reasonable bedtime."

"Thank you," Lillian said, though she wasn't exactly sure what she was thanking him for.

"It is I who must thank you. You have helped me out a great deal. Now, if you will excuse me, I must return to my work."

Lillian returned to her work as well. She ran home to her farm and found the material stone that Kana wanted. After delivering this to him and receiving her payment, she went into the mountains, to find the herbs and flowers that Hiro and Rahi wanted. She found the lavender Hiro requested easily, but obtaining the magic blue flowers Rahi wanted took some time and Lillian crossed all the way to Bluebell to find them. Though it was late by then, Lillian checked the Bluebell message board. In comparison to the cluttered Konohana board, there was just one request in Bluebell, from Howard, who, like Kana, needed material stone.

"I bet rats got into the cafe again..." she thought, pulling down the paper. Howard always insisted he could handle the repairs, but they never seemed to hold and every few weeks he posted messages requesting material stone or lumber.

Lillian arose early the next day. She had a busy day ahead of her. She needed to harvest her crops before Winter set in and take care of her livestock, and when that was done, she had requests that needed fulfilling. Before she started on her chores, though, she made herself a lunch to take with her. As it was simmering in the pot, a thought occurred to her and she prepared a baked yam as well. She carefully packaged both meals so that they would stay warm and put them in her bag.

It took quite some time to get everything done at home, and it was afternoon by the time that Lillian had harvested her crops, milked and brushed the cow, brushed the sheep and collected the eggs. Famished, she quickly ate her lunch, devouring the bowl of soup in almost one gulp. Then she checked her bag to make sure she had everything she needed and set off.

First Lillian delivered the herbs to Hiro. He gave her green rice candy in return, which seemed like an odd choice for a doctor's apprentice. Next Lillian went off in search of Rahi. He often played with Ying near the tea house, but he wasn't there. She went into the tea house to ask Ying if she knew where he was, but Ying was sick in bed and hadn't seen him. Lillian gave her the green rice candy and told her to feel better. Walking out the door of the tea house, Lillian now had a choice. To find Rahi, and deliver his flowers or...

After only a moment's hesitation, Lillian crossed the little bridge near the tea house and arrived at Mako's house. Again the door was unlocked and Lillian let herself in. And again, she found Mako in the back room, hard at work. He was still hard at work, and the table looked like a disorganized mess, but the curtains were drawn to let light into the room and Mako was wearing clean clothing and he appeared to have showered and shaved.

"...Mako?"

"Huh? What? Lillian, what brings you here?"

"Oh, I was...well, I was worried...you just looked so tired yesterday, so I thought I'd drop by," Lillian explained. Then she remembered something and began digging around in her bag. "I brought this for you."

She crossed the room and handed him the baked yam she had prepared earlier. She had wrapped it carefully and it was still warm.

"What have we here…? It seems you are familiar with my preferences. You have my thanks! I accept with gratitude," Mako set his brush down and closed the notebook, then took the yam. "This will make a fine breakfast."

"It's afternoon, Mako."

"Eh?" He turned and looked at the light coming through the window. "So it is. I seem to have lost rack of time again..."

"I have to be going," Lillian said, standing up. "Please don't push yourself too hard."

"I won't."

As Lillian was leaving the house, she encountered Reina, crossing the bridge. They exchanged greetings and each went on her way. Inside, Reina put her things away and then checked on her uncle. She noted the empty wrapper from the yam laying on the table.

"I see you remembered to eat today," she said.

"Hm? Oh, yes, Lillian dropped by and brought that."

"That's odd..."

"She seemed worried about me. She thought I might be pushing myself too hard."

"Well, she's right," Reina replied. "I'm worried about you. I know you're excited about your work, but ruining your health won't do any good. You need to take care of yourself."

"I showered and I even ate," Mako protested.

"Get outside and get some fresh air. Take a nice long walk. I'll make us a nice dinner and then you'll go to bed at a decent time and get a good night's sleep," Reina said, as she grabbed her uncle by the arm. He resisted her for a few moments, but then he gave in and allowed himself to be led outside. He walked over to the trees, carefully inspecting them. Although he had been neglecting them somewhat, they were doing well. Thriving, even. Still, he was ashamed at how little attention he had been giving his trees lately. The girls were right.

After a little while, Reina called him inside and they ate the meal she had prepared. As they ate, they discussed their research, each bouncing ideas off the other, talking excitedly. While everyone in Konohana grew crops and plants, Mako and Reina were the only ones really interested in the science of plants and really had no one else to discuss their studies with. Mako sometimes tried to engage the other residents of the village in conversation about his research, but he either bored them or the conversation simply went over their head. To be fair, the villagers were usually interested in the results of his work, but they had little interest in the process.

True to his word, Mako went to bed early and from then on tried to scale back on his work a bit. Lillian now visited every day, always bringing with her one of the simple vegetable dishes that Mako loved. And Reina kept a close eye on her uncle, making sure he had a healthy dinner and that he got enough fresh air. Mako was touched by the concern the two young women showed, realizing just how worried they were. There were still times when he pulled an all-nighter or stayed indoors despite Reina's urgings, but these became far less frequent and as the days passed, Mako began to look healthy again.

_AN: Thank you for the helpful reviews! I tried to slow down the pacing a bit here. I hope that helped, but more constructive criticism is always appreciated!_


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

Fall ended and Winter came in its place. Lillian thought nothing grew in the Winter, and was surprised to learn that she could grow daikon, soybeans and buckwheat on her farm. Nori told her that bok choy could also be grown in the Winter and promised to try and get some in stock. And while the snow made traveling in the mountain difficult, Lillian still found herbs and nuts on the ground. The streams were frozen solid, but Lillian learned that certain spots were weak and could be broken with her hammer. She had trouble getting the knack of this, and often fell in when she broke through. Being soaking wet out in the freezing cold was, to put it mildly, unpleasant, and Lillian found herself fishing less and less, even though fishing was the best way to earn money in this time of year.

She continued to visit Mako every day, always bringing him a meal. She came at around the same time every day, and he quickly grew to expect her and found himself looking forward to seeing her. Lillian was interested in his work and always asked about it. Sometimes she brought plants she found in the mountain for him to identify.

"These are Elli leaves," he explained one snowy day, when she came by with roasted eggplant and a bag full of strange plants that she had found in the mountain. "In olden times, they were said to have magical properties. Both Reina and I have studied them and we cannot find any evidence of nutritional or medicinal value."

"Oh, I was afraid of that," Lillian said with a sigh. She placed the little plant back in her bag.

"What is wrong?"

"The Cooking Festival is coming up and I just don't have anything I can make."

"Ah, I see. This is a difficult time of year. But even if you cannot enter a dish, you must at least come and cheer for Konohana."

"I will. Are you going to enter?" Lillian asked.

"Not I. Reina intends to, I think."

"Do you ever enter?"

"I did a few times, when I was younger," Mako replied. "I can cook, but I find it more fun to cheer everyone on."

Lillian nodded. Since she had come to the two towns, she had always made a point to enter a dish in the Cooking Festival. She was sure her efforts were helping Bluebell and Konohana grow closer. But if she couldn't enter a dish, then that couldn't be helped, and she had to admit, standing in the crowd and cheering for her friends sounded fun too.

"Oh dear, it's getting late," she said, getting to her feet. "I'd better be going. I have to deliver some lavender to Eileen."

Mako looked up. "Doesn't she live in Bluebell?"

"Y-yes..."

"It can be dangerous crossing the mountain in the dark,"

"Oh, I'll be fine. I'll stick to the path."

"The path is iced over. You should wait until morning."

"But I can't," Lillian protested. "Eileen needs this lavender tonight. She's expecting me and I just can't disappoint her!"

Mako couldn't help but smile at her earnestness. "Well, if it's that important, then you should not disappoint Eileen. But you must promise me to be careful."

"I will! I'll be very careful."

True to her word, Lillian safely crossed the mountain, and delivered the lavender to Eileen. On her way back, she stopped at the message board and looked over the new requests. There were only two: Rutger wanted flowers (for Rose, of course) and Cam wanted fish. Lillian sighed a bit when she saw Cam's message. Fishing was nice in the summer, when the days were hot but it was nice and cool at the stream, but in winter, she hated fishing. In the end, she left Cam's request on the board and returned home.

The Cooking Festival was just a few days later. Since she had nothing to make, Lillian came to cheer everyone on. Almost everyone from Bluebell and Konohana turned out for the cooking festival and for a few moments, Lillian felt lost in the crowd of people.

"Lillian, over here," Mako called out.

Lillian hurried over, weaving through the crowd. She nearly bumped into Gombe and as she moved away from him, she stepped on Hiro's foot. She was still apologizing when she reached Mako's side.

"Oh, Reina, I thought you were going to compete?" Lillian said when saw Reina standing at her uncle's side.

"I changed my mind," Reina replied, with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Now, let us introduce our special guest judge, Pierre!" Ina announced and moments later a short young man, dressed all in purple walked between the two groups.

Lillian turned her attention to the competition and saw right away that Konohana would have a tough time. Howard, Laney and Jessica has all entered, but Konohana was represented by Yun, Ying and Kana. Mako cheered loudly for his hometown as Pierre tasted the dishes. His cheering was so loud that Reina hid her face behind her sleeve and tried to pretend they weren't related. Sadly, in the end, Pierre declared that Bluebell was the winner.

Mako took the loss hard. "Konohana has tasted defeat. Reina and Lillian, can you say that your cheering was adequate?" he demanded as they walked home.

"Konohana didn't lose because of our cheering," Lillian protested.

"Yes, we lost because Kana entered a failed dish," Reina added.

"Still, you could have shown more enthusiasm, you two," Mako said. "Have some pride in Konohana!"

"But in the end, it doesn't really matter who wins," Lillian said.

"Of course it matters! Winning is a point of pride! We must prove that Konohana's food is superior to that of Bluebell,"

"But-" Lillian began, but Reina cut her off.

"Oh, don't get him started. Just don't. Anyway, we've reached your house."

"Oh. Good night then. Um...I had a lot of fun cheering with you," Lillian said.

"Yes, it was fun!" Mako said with a big grin, but Reina hid her face behind her sleeve again. "Well, good night. I'll see you tomorrow."

The snow festival was a few days later. Most of the villagers turned out to see the giant panda that Sheng sculpted, but Mako chose to stay home and work on his project. Reina and Lillian protested and tried to get him to come, but he stubbornly refused to leave. He was nearing the end of the first phase of his work, the planning and writing, and as he neared the end he became as consumed by his work as he had been in the beginning, and he began staying up all night again. Lillian worried, but this time Reina sensed it was better not to push him and let him work. Despite her misgivings, Lillian followed Reina's example and by the next cooking festival Mako's work was nearly completed and he was back to keeping a normal schedule.

The day after the second Winter cooking festival, (Konohana lost again, despite Mako's cheering) Lillian went to Mako's house as usual. He was seated at the table, as usual, but things were different today. Most of the books had been returned to the shelf and the papers had been neatly organized on the table. Mako was writing something in one of his notebooks, but compared to the frenzied pace he'd held earlier, his writing seemed almost leisurely now.

"Good morning, Mako," Lillian said, handing him a baked yam.

"Ah, thank you. This looks fantastic," he said, closing the notebook and digging in.

"How is your research coming along?"

"Very well," Mako said through a mouthful of yam. He swallowed and went on, "I am nearly ready to put my theories to the test. Which reminds me..."

Mako set his food down and rifled through the papers on his desk. He found the one he was looking for and handed it to Lillian.

"I was going to post this on the message board, but since you are here, I want to ask you directly. Will you help me?"

Lillian looked at the paper. "Ninety-nine failed dishes?" she exclaimed.

"I know it is much to ask in so short a time, but it is exactly what I need for the next phase of my research. Will you help me?"

"Of course! Anything for you, Mako!"

Preparing such a huge amount of failed dishes was easier said than done. As she had done before, Lillian went through her storage and purposely burned anything that had gone bad. There were some old vegetables left over from fall that weren't so fresh and some rotten herbs and what looked like it might have once been a tomato. But even after a thorough cleaning, she still had a ways to go. She began making failed dishes from herbs and fish that had a low shipping value. The reward offered for the request was several high quality tree seedlings and Lillian knew that if she was successful, she would get her money back and then some. But if she failed, she was going to be out a lot of money. It was a big gamble.

On the last day that the request was due, she was still short and she ran to the store and bought several bags of flour, and made each one into a failed dish. As Lillian packed the ninety-nine failed dishes in her bag, she wondered if it was all worth it, knowing that she would not have gone to such lengths for anyone else in the village.

She hurried to Mako's house. By then it was late at night, and, worried that she might be late, Lillian began to run. The path was icy in some spots and she nearly lost her footing a few times, but it wasn't until she reached the bridge that she actually slipped. Lillian fell hard, twisting her ankle and scraping her palm on some exposed rocks. Nearly crying from pain, Lillian picked herself up slowly and managed to limp the rest of the way to Mako's house.

Mako was in his kitchen, making a late night snack when he heard the door open. Guessing correctly that it was Lillian, he turned to greet her with a big smile that quickly fell away when he saw the state she was in.

"Lillian! What on earth?" Mako rushed over to her. "Reina, come down here!"

"I-I slipped coming off the bridge...I h-hurt my ankle."

"You poor thing!"

Lillian was not expecting what happened next. Mako suddenly picked her up and carried her over to the kitchen. For a moment, Lillian nearly forgot her pain, she was so pleased to be in Mako's strong arms. She was tempted to snuggle against him, but the kitchen was only a few steps away. Mako gently set her down on one of the cushions and knelt before her.

"Which ankle?" he asked.

"The right one."

Reina came downstairs then. "What happened?"

"Lillian has hurt herself."

Reina nodded and hurried over to a cabinet and pulled a large box off of one of the shelves. She carried it over to the table and opened the lid. The box was full of small jars and little containers, and Reina began sorting through them. Mako meanwhile had pulled Lillian's boot off and was gently pressing on her foot and ankle. This hurt her, but Mako looked pleased.

"I don't think it is broken," he said.

Reina came over and cleaned Lillian's palm with a soft cloth. Then she opened one of the jars that she had removed from the box. A strong medicinal smell reached Lillian's nose. Reina used her fingers to scoop some of the jar's contents onto Lillian's hand. It stung at first, but after a few moments, her palm began to feel pleasantly cool.

"Should I send for the doctor?" Reina asked.

"It's only a sprain," Mako replied.

"Sprains can be serious," Reina argued. "What do you want to do, Lillian?"

"Oh...I...I'd rather not bother Ayame," Lillian murmured. "It is pretty late..."

Reina shrugged and went back to her box.

"What is that?" Lillian asked.

"It's my first-aid kit," Reina explained. "Everything is a natural, homemade herbal remedy."

Reina pulled a bandage out of the box and began wrapping it around Lillian's ankle. Mako brought Lillian a cup of tea. She took it gratefully, but when she brought it near her mouth she noticed it smelled strange.

"It's an herbal remedy," Mako said. "It will take away some of the pain."

"It tastes bitter, but it works," Reina added. "If you drink it quickly, it's not so bad."

Lillian drank the tea as quickly she could. It was very hot and tasted like medicine. By the time she finished the tea, Reina was done wrapping her ankle.

"You should stay off it for a few days," Reina said.

Lillian nodded. Luckily she had no crops right then, so she had only her livestock to worry about.

"Oh, I nearly forgot!" she said suddenly. "Where's my bag?"

Mako handed it to her and Lillian pulled out the failed dishes. He couldn't help feeling guilty that Lillian had injured herself helping him, but he could see an eager smile on her face.

"Thank you," he said gently. "This is exactly what I needed."

"I'm so glad I could help you!"

Mako placed her reward, some money and some tree seedlings in the bag for her. Reina added a jar of the ointment and a canister of the medicinal tea as well.

"All right, let's get you home," Mako said to Lillian.

"Um..." Lillian said. Thanks to the medicine, her ankle wasn't bothering her too much right now, but she wasn't sure if she could walk all the way back to her farm. Before she could say any of that out loud, Mako scooped her up in his arms again.

"I'll be back soon," he said to Reina.

"Be careful," she replied.

"Always!"

Mako carried Lillian out the door into the cold Winter night. Reina shut the door behind them, then walked back to the kitchen and packed away the first-aid and washed the cup Lillian had used. As she worked, she thought about the expression she had seen on Lillian's face when Mako picked her her up. Lillian had looked surprised, but that expression had been quickly replaced by one of compete happiness. For a while now, Reina had wondered about Lillian. Though Reina was not always observant when it came to other people's feelings, she couldn't help noticing that Lillian was a frequent visitor. Reina had started to wonder if Lillian had a crush on Mako. The sweet, happy smile on Lillian's face when Mako picked her up confirmed her suspicions. Reina wasn't sure if Mako returned Lillian's feelings, but...she hoped he did.

Reina loved her uncle dearly. She was actually closer to him than she was to her own father. Though they were very different in personality, they shared a love of plants and research and understood one another. She wanted her uncle to be happy and Reina thought that Mako would be one of those people who would be happiest if he had someone to share his life with.

Outside, Lillian was, despite her pain, a very happy young woman. She felt so safe and warm in Mako's arms and this time she couldn't resist the urge to snuggle against him. Before long she had actually dozed off.

Mako glanced down at her. "She really is very pretty," he thought. "If I were a younger man-"

Mako was so surprised by this train of thought that he stopped walking. The cease of movement caused Lillian to stir.

"Am I home?" she murmured.

"Not quite."

"Why did you stop?"

"I was...startled by something," This was the truth, but Mako prayed that Lillian wouldn't ask for more details. Luckily she didn't and within a few minutes he could tell she had fallen back asleep.

Soon Mako reached Lillian's farm. It was easy to see, even in the dim moonlight that she had no crops growing at the time, but he could see the trenches were crops had once been planted. He had not gone very far onto Lillian's property when her two dogs ran up to him. The big dog, which herded cows, was barking loudly. The smaller sheep dog was growling fiercely. The sounds woke Lillian up instantly.

"Stop! Stop it!" she cried. The big dog stopped when he heard his mistresses command, but the littler dog advanced and Mako began to back away quickly.

"Stop that!" Lillian scolded. "Mako is my friend!"

"Animals don't like me," Mako explained nervously. "But usually they run away – like Ying."

The big dog moved between the humans and the other dog, growling loudly. After a moment the small dog whined and ran inside.

"See, Woofie likes you," Lillian said.

"I am not so sure of that," Mako replied, noticing how tense Woofie still was. Still, both dogs allowed Mako to enter the house. There was a cat as well, but Mako, assuming that she too would be afraid of him, ignored her. Therefore, in typical cat fashion, she decided that Mako was her new best friend and rubbed against his ankles, purring loudly.

Mako carried Lillian to the table and set her gently down on a cushion.

"Thank you," she said.

"I will come by in the morning to see how you are," he replied.

"All right. Thank you."

Mako could tell Lillian was tired and wondered if he shouldn't have carried her to the bed. But that somehow seemed... inappropriate.

On the way home, Mako tried to think about the next phase in his experiment, but thoughts of Lillian kept bubbling to the surface of his mind. Her sweet voice, her lovely face, the way she visited him every day, the way she showed such concern towards him...He tried to push those thoughts down, telling himself how inappropriate it was to think that way about Lillian. She was far too young, younger even than Reina.

"Well, at least I seem to put Ayame behind me..." Mako muttered to himself.

_AN: channeling a little HM64 here. I always thought the heart events where you had to carry a girl home after she'd sprained her ankle were really cute. ^^_


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4

"Hey, Mako! Where are you going so early in the morning?" Kana called out. He was outside, taking care of his horses. Though it had stopped snowing, it was still bitterly cold outside, but Kana was wearing a sleeveless shirt. He always claimed to never be affected by the cold and dressed in the same manner all year round.

Mako walked over to the fence, his feet crunching in the snow.

"Good morning, Kana," he replied. "I'm on my way to Lillian's farm."

"At this hour?"

"She injured her ankle yesterday," Mako explained. "I am on my way to see how she's doing and to assist her with her chores."

"Aw, man, that bites. About Lillian's ankle, I mean, not your helping her," Kana said. He paused for a moment, then went on. "Doesn't she have livestock?"

"Yes," Mako said with a frown. He knew next to nothing about animals.

"Hey, if you want, I can totally help out."

"I would appreciate that. Thank you."

"No problem. Just let me finish up here. It'll only take a sec."

Kana quickly finished his chores. While most people in Konohana were focused on plants, Kana was an animal lover and had a number of animals. Some of them were his own pets, while others were offered for sale in his store. He was probably the only person in all of Konohana who would know how to milk a cow and Mako was grateful for his offer to help.

Lillian had managed to get dressed and feed her pets, after that she decided to wait for Mako, since her ankle was starting to bother her again. She was sitting at her table, with her cat on her lap, drinking the medicinal tea when she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in!" she called.

"Good morning, Lillian," Mako said as he and Kana walked in. "How is your ankle this morning?"

"It hurts a bit," she admitted. "Hello, Kana."

"Hey, Lil!" he said. "I'm here to help too!"

"Oh, thank you! I... do need some help with my livestock. I already fed my pets, but there's so much to do..."

"What needs to be done?" Mako asked.

"The cow and the sheep need to be brushed. The dogs will take them outside to graze, so they don't need to be fed today. The cow needs to be milked and I think the sheep is ready to be shorn. Ivy still needs some training with the chickens, so they'll need to be fed inside. Oh and please give each animal one of these treats," Lillian pulled four crackers out of her bag and handed them to Mako. He looked a little overwhelmed by all that needed to be done, but Kana took it in a stride.

"I have a brush, but I'll need to borrow your milker and shears," he said. She handed them both to him and the two men headed outside. The dogs followed. They had quickly taken to Kana, but they were still unsure of Mako.

"How did you know that Lil had hurt her ankle?"

"Oh, I had posted a request on the message board. When she was bringing me the items I asked for, she slipped on the icy path," Mako explained. "I can't help but feel at fault, so I want to help."

Kana nodded in understanding, unaware that there was more to the story than simply wanting to help.

By then the dogs had brought the cow and the sheep out. Kana showed Mako how to brush them. The animals liked Kana, but, once again, they were skittish around Mako.

"Give them the treats," Kana said, taking the crackers out of his pocket. "They'll come around.

The cow calmed down enough to allow Mako to milk her, but sheep was still wary of him. Kana decided to shear her himself and suggested that Mako go in the barn and take care of the chickens.

The barn was small and dimly lit, but not at all unpleasant. It was clean and smelled more of fresh straw than anything else. There was a faint whiff of dung in the air, but Mako did not mind the smell. He sometimes cow manure for his fertilizer, and was used to the odor. The two hens were sitting in the very back, clucking softly. Unlike the other animals, they did not mind Mako's presence. He collected the eggs, and gave each hen a treat. They allowed him to gently pick them up. By the time he was finished, Kana was done shearing the sheep and the two men went back inside.

"Should we ship these for you?" Kana asked, holding out the milk and wool.

"Can you please put them in storage for me?" Lillian asked. She looked a bit troubled.

"What is it?" Mako asked.

"I was supposed to to take some milk to Howard...he runs the cafe in Bluebell. He put a request on the message board and it's due today," Lillian explained. "I feel so bad about letting him down..."

"I will deliver the milk for you," Mako replied.

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that!" Lillian protested. "I wasn't hinting. And you've done so much for me already-!"

"I insist," Mako said firmly. Lillian hesitated a moment, then handed him the request. It was written on paper with a pink floral pattern and the hand-writing was elegant and neat, except that Howard dotted his I's with little hearts.

Mako had been to Bluebell only once in his life, when he was a young man. Things had changed in the village somewhat, he noticed, but it was largely the same as he remembered it. The town was shaped like a U, or, Mako suddenly realized, like a horseshoe. Unlike Konohana, Bluebell's streets were paved and the houses were somewhat closer together. The scent of the air seemed different as well, not just the scent of animals, but something else, Perhaps it was simply the difference in the plant life on this side of the mountain. As he drew nearer the first house, he slowed, unsure just where the cafe was. Had it even existed the last time he'd been to Bluebell? He looked around. The nearest house had a small corral out front. A young woman with red-brown curls was gently brushing one of the horses.

"Excuse me!" he called out to the woman. "I'm looking for the cafe. Can you help me?"

Georgia stared. She had sometimes seen Mako at the cooking contests and though she didn't know his name or anything at all about him, she knew he was from Konohana. Aside from Lillian, Dirk and the triplets, few people traveled from village to village. Georgia would have been just as surprised to see Nori or Reina, though probably not so intimidated. Remembering her manners, Georgia manged to stop gawking and answer.

"It's right north of here. Just past the fountain." Mako noticed that her accent was different from the rest of the citizens of Bluebell. She climbed over the fence. "Here, I'll show ya."

"Thank you. You are very kind."

"What brings ya to Bluebell?"

"I am here on Lillian's behalf. She has twisted her ankle and cannot walk. She is quite anxious to complete a request she took on, so I have come to complete the delivery."

"Is she all right?" Georgia asked anxiously. Mako was touched by her concern and smiled at her.

"She is in some pain, but I do not think the injury is a serious one."

"That's a relief," Georgia replied. She grinned up at Mako. "You're a real nice guy to go out of your way to help her like this. Oops, here's the cafe!"

They walked inside. The cafe was much larger than the tea house. The decor was done in the Bluebell fashion, which Mako had expected. However, he had not anticipated how different the smell of the cafe was compared to the tea house. Here, the smell of fresh-baked cakes filled the air, while the air of Yun;s tea house was heavy with more savory smells.

"Are you Howard?" Mako asked the man standing behind the counter. As Georgia had known Mako by sight from the cooking festivals, Mako also recognized Howard by sight. They had never spoken or even stood near each other and Mako was a bit surprised to realize that Howard was slightly taller than he.

"I am!" Howard replied cheerfully. "What brings you to my cafe? Have you come all the way to Konohana to try my cake?"

Before Mako could reply, Georgia answered. "Lillian's hurt herself! She twisted her ankle and can't walk. So her friend from Konohana is helpin' her with her requests!"

"Oh dear! Is Lillian all right?"

"She will be fine," Mako reassured him.

"That's a relief. The poor, dear girl!" Howard said, sniffling dramatically. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at the corner of one eye.

"Lillian was quite upset at the idea of not completing your request and disappointing you, so I am delivering this on her behalf," Mako said, handing Howard the milk.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Howard replied. "There's this recipe I've been dying to try and- well, I can't say anything else. It's for the contest."

"I understand completely," Mako said with a grin. "But I do believe Lillian is owed some compensation for this milk?"

"Oh, I nearly forgot!" Howard walked over to a nearby cabinet and rummaged around a bit. He finally removed a few cans of tea and handed these to Mako, as well as some money. Then, although it wasn't listed on the request, Howard also gave Mako a large, beautifully decorated cake.

"This is something extra for Lillian," he explained. "Please tell her to get well soon."

"I shall."

"Tell her "howdy" for me," Georgia added.

"Please send Lillian my regards as well" added a blonde woman. Mako had not noticed her sooner, but Laney had been in the room the whole time, quietly listening while she baked a pie.

"I shall," Mako repeated and then grinned. "It seems that Lillian has many friends in Bluebell."

"Oh, everyone adores her!" Howard gushed. "I've been trying to get her to move here for ages."

"She is much beloved in Konohana as well," Mako replied. "If she were to move, she would be greatly missed."

Over the next few days, Mako fell into a routine. In the mornings, he went to Lillian's house and helped her with her chores and he spent his afternoons and evenings working on his research. He soon began to look forward to visiting with Lillian each morning. After the second day, Kana no longer helped, but the animals seemed to accept him, though only the cat and the hens seemed to actually like him.

Once word of Lillian's injury spread, her friends supplied her with food. Besides the tea and cake Howard given her, nearly every person in Konohana had brought over a meal or a snack for Lillian, and one day, Dirk came to her house with a big care package from her friends in Bluebell, stuffed with cakes and fancy cheeses. Even Mayor Ina took time out of her busy schedule to bring Lillian some leftovers. Lillian was grateful, but she had more food than she could possibly eat, so in the mornings, after he finished the chores, Lillian shared her food with Mako.

In the cold winter mornings, Mako appreciated the food and hot tea that Lillian prepared for him. He appreciated the company as well. They say together at her table and talked of many things. Most often, Mako talked of his research project. He was making excellent progress on it and hoped to have it done in early spring.

"You must promise to use it on the potato you enter in the vegetable contest!" he said one snowy morning.

"Oh, umm..." Lillian stared down at her cup of tea.

"What is it?"

"Well I...was thinking of moving to Bluebell in the spring," Lillian murmured.


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Sorry for the long delay! I was busier than I expected this past Winter!_

Chapter 5

Lillian's words were spoken softly, but the impact they had was enormous. For several moments Mako was silent, staring into his cup of tea. Lillian glanced at his face, trying to read the expression. He was not pleased, she could tell that much, but beyond that...she wasn't sure.

Finally, Mako broke the silence. "Move to Bluebell? Whatever for? Are...are you not happy in Konohana?" His voice sounded strained.

"Well...I was thinking...You see in Bluebell, they have animal contests every month, instead of crop contests. This year is the cow festival and I think that Misty has a good chance of winning. But I can only enter if I live in Bluebell."

Lillian glanced at Mako again. He said nothing. She went on

"I...I've been thinking about it for awhile now," she said."I'd miss you- and everyone in Konohana. It would only be for a month and I've move back after the festival-" Lillian was speaking quickly, the words tumbling out of her mouth.

"Then...you must promise to enter the Summer Crop Contest," Mako said at last.

Lillian sighed in relief. "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"I don't know..."

"For my own selfish reason I wish you would stay in Konohana, but if this is something you feel you must do, then you should do it."

"You're really not mad?"

"Of course not," Mako replied. "But...I will miss you very much."

Lillian's heart skipped a beat and she could feel her cheeks growing warm as a pink blush spread across her face. She was smiling, but she lowered her head so that Mako could not see. He reached out and gently touched her hand. His hand was much larger than her own, strong and roughened from his work in the orchards, but the touch was gentle. She looked up, hope flickering in her heart.

"I'll miss you too," she murmured. "But it's only for a month and I'll come by often."

And so, not long after that conversation, Lillian went to town hall to tell Ina she wanted to move. Ina seemed annoyed by Lillian's decision and was not much reassured by Lillian's promises that she would return in the spring. Nevertheless, Ina helped Lillian pack up her things. Mako, Reina, Kana and Rahi helped as well and working together they made short work of their task. Only Kana was cheerful about the move; he talked excitedly about the animals Lillian would see in Bluebell.

"Does anyone in Bluebell have an alpaca?" he asked as he loaded a large box into the wagon.

"An alpaca?" Lillian replied. "No...I don't think so."

"Bummer, I was hoping to see one," Kana said. "Hey, you should get one if you can."

"I don't have room in my barn," Lillian reminded him. "This is a temporary move, Kana"

"Right, right."

Mako and Reina came out of the house, carrying more boxes. Ina and Rahi followed behind, empty-handed.

"These are the last of your things," Mako said as he placed the boxes in the wagon.

"That's everything, then?" Kana said. "All right then. Lil, I'm going to take the animals ahead, if that's all right by you?"

"That's fine."

Lillian turned to face the rest. Ina was standing with her hands on her hips and a stern, disapproving look on her face. Rahi stood next to her, looking a little confused. He glanced up at his mother, saw the expression on her face and tried to mimic it.

"Well, I hope you will be happy in the new life you've chosen," Ina said with a sigh.

"It's really only temporary," Lilian protested. "I love Konohana. I truly do!"

Ina's expression softened a bit and she gave Lillian a brief, but gentle hug. "I hope you return." she said.

"You'd better come back," Rahi said. "Ying was really unhappy that you were moving. N-not that I care if Ying is unhappy..."

"I'm going to come back next month and I'll visit often. Please tell Ying that I'll bring her a dessert from the cafe in Bluebell."

"All right."

"I must be going now," Ina said. "I hope that your stay in Bluebell is a success."

"Thank you."

Only Reina and Mako were left now. Reina glanced at her uncle, then stepped forward.

"I'll see you soon," she said simply, but her words and voice were sincere. Lillian smiled and hugged her friend. She thought that Reina would remain, but to her surprise, after the hug, Reina departed, leaving Lillian alone with Mako. She hadn't expected that.

"Well..." Mako said. He thought of himself as a well-spoken man, and yet, Lillian so often managed to put him at a loss for words. The only other person who had ever been able to do that was Ayame.

"It...it's only a few weeks..." Lillian reminded him.

"Of course," he replied. "Lillian, I...ah, I wish you the best of luck in Bluebell."

"Thank you."

"It's getting late. If you're going to do this, then you should leave soon. Unless you've changed your mind?"

"No, you're right. I should be going. I'll see you soon."

Mako helped her climb into the wagon, his string hands providing a boost for her. She didn't really need the assistance, but Lillian relished any touch, however brief. Sitting in the wagon's seat, she was taller than Mako and for once it was he who had to crane his head to speak.

"Have a safe journey, Lillian," he said.

"I will," she said with a nod. She moved the reins and the horse began to pull the wagon. She waved one last goodbye to Mako and then set out over the mountain. Even pulling the heavy wagon, the horse moved faster than Lillian could walk, and she reached Bluebell before she knew it. Kana and Rutger had already put the animals in the barn by the time she arrived. Kana helped her unload the wagon, but by then it was late. Lillian decided the unpacking could wait till tomorrow.

The farmhouse in Bluebell was surprisingly similar to the house in Konohana, she noted, though the furnishings were in the Bluebell style. This was similar to the décor she had grown up in her hometown and should have made her feel at home, but instead she suddenly felt very homesick for Konohana. Suddenly exhausted, Lillian curled up on the bed and slept soundly till morning.

The next day Georgia, Laney and Howard came over to help her unpack. Howard unloaded the heavy boxes from the wagon as easily as Mako and Kana had loaded then in, hefting heavy boxes inside with ease. Then he excitedly showed Lillian the frilly curtains he'd made for her; frilly curtains with a floral pattern, lovingly handsticthed with fancy lace at the edge. The four of them working together got the house in apple pie order more quickly than Lillian had expected, but even so, it was after dark when they finished.

As things turned out, Lillian didn't have time to visit Konohana again until after New year's eve. The last few days of Winter had been busy, with Lillian adjusting to her new home and attending the festivals that heralded the end of the year. Lillian longed to return to Konohana for the New Year's Eve celebration, but things were clear on that point: as a resident of Bluebell, she could nto attend Konohana festivals.

The first few days of Spring were busy. There was some space for crops in Bluebell, so Lillian decided to plant some flowers. There was little room on the bluebell farm for crops, but even so, it took time to plant them. The areas where she could plant were small, but she had difficulty focusing on her work, and in her distracted state, she ruined the trenches she was trying to make and had to start over many times, leaving her tired and hungry. Clearing the farm and planting the seeds should have taken just one day, but it took Lillian longer to finish her work.

Finally, a few days into Spring she hiked over the mountain. She had set out as early as she could, rushing through her chores on Bluebell in her eagerness to return. A year had passed since she had come to live in Konahana and the early spring mountain reminded her of her first days in the village, when everything was new snand strange. Even the plants that grew on the mountain were different from the vegetation that grew near Lillian's hometown. But now, the flowers looked like familiar old friends. She slowed some to take in the beauty of the mountain, but Lillian never left the path to seek out any herbs or flowers to put in her bag.

Lillian wanted to see mako first thing, but she knew she should work on her farm first. With a tiny sigh, she set to work. In the short time that she'd been living in Bluebell, most of her fields has reverted to grass. Lillian set to work cutting down the grass, grateful that she had upgraded it; it made things go so much faster that way. Working on the familiar Konahona farm, Lillian was less distracted than before and worked more quickly. Even so, by noon she knew that it would take a day or two to clear the grass and make the trenches. Although she had brought a big lunch, it did little for her hunger and by mid-afternoon, Lillian felt too tired to continue working.

She cleaned herself up as best she could, using water from the fountain to wash with. After quickly changing into a fresh dress she was ready to go into town. When she neared the tea shop, the aromas wafting out were very tempting, and she slowed in her walking. It was tempting, but Mako's house was not far from the tea shop, and tired and hungry as she was, Lillian wanted to see him more than anything else. With hardly a second thought, she walked past the tea shop.

As she crossed the wooden bridge, Lillian saw that things had changed. She stopped still and stared for a moment before hurrying over. Some of the tress at the edge of Mako's property had been cleared away, creating a small field. The cleared area was much smaller than the field on Lillian's Konahana farm, but somewhat larger than the space she had in Bluebell.

Mako was working there. He had dug a number of short trenches and was planting seeds. As she came closer, Lillian saw something at the end of each trench that resembled the fertilizer she bought from Gombe's shop. They were much smaller, and the color was different, a dark pine green, instead of the vivid green of the fertilizer she was familiar with.

"Mako!" she called out, waving one arm. In her excitement and curiosity, she forgot her shyness.

"Lillian!" he yelled back, his face breaking out in a big grin. He hurried over to meet her, and to Lillian's surprise, her swept her up in a big hug.

"It is good to see you!" he said.

"I missed you."

"I missed you as well," he replied, his tone gruff, but kind. He put one arm around her shoulders and lead her over to his new field. "Come, let me show you my work."

"Is that your new fertilizer?" Lillian asked, pointing at one of the dark green containers..

"It is indeed!" Mako said, with another big grin. "I had Eileen clear the space for me and I've been preparing trenches. These are turnips here, those are potatoes and I have cabbages over there." He pointed to each row as she spoke. "Tomorrow I will plant cucumbers and strawberries.

"The new fertilizer looks smaller?"

"It is very highly concentrated," Mako explained. Before he could go on, his stomach growled loudly. He chuckled in an embarrassed way. "Are you hungry?"

Lillian nodded.

"Come, let us go to the tea house and we can discuss this over lunch. It will be my treat,"

"It's getting dark already," Lillian said with a little laugh.

"Early dinner then! Just give me a few moments to clean myself up."

Lillian waited outside while Mako cleaned himself up. She sat on the new fence that surrounded the new vegetable garden. It was good to be back in Konohana. She'd been too busy to be homesick, but as she sat there, she realized just how much she had missed the town. Everything in Bluebell was different. Even the air had a different sound, somehow. Mako came out his house and saw her quietly sitting there, swinging her legs. She was dressed in the Bluebell style of clothing, a dress with a long full skirt, a big old-fashioned apron and sturdy little boots. It somehow suited her better than the Konohana clothing Ina had given her when she first came to town.

Mako took her arm and they walked to the tea shop. Mako placed a large order and told Lillian to order as whatever she wanted and as much as she wanted. Famished from her long day of work, Lillian placed an order almost as big as Mako's. He led her to his favorite table, near the back and they waited for Yun to bring the food.

"How do you like living in Bluebell?" Mako asked.

"It's nice, but I miss Konohana."

Yun brought their food over then, setting steaming hot fragrant dishes in front of each them. Mako took a big bite, then went on.

"Then you will be coming back in the summer?"

"Yes," Lillian said with a sweet smile. "You were saying that the new fertilizer is more concentrated?"

From there, Mako launched into a detailed explanation of his experiment. The new fertilizer was highly concentrated, so that much less was needed. Moreover, it would raise the quality of fruits and vegetables much higher than the old fertilizer and at a faster rate. Lillian was impressed and asked Mako for more derails. He was happy to answer. Aside from Reina, no one in Konohana was much interested in his work. They cared about the end results, but never about the details.

Mako spoke loudly as he explained his research, gesturing with his hands. Yun glanced his way, but since he and Lillian were the only guests in the tea house, Yun decided to let him be. She went over to collect the empty plates, but Mako stopped her

"I'm trying to explain something," he told Yun. "This is my diagram-" he gestured to the plate, where he had carefully arranged some noodles and vegetables in a complex pattern. Yun nodded and smiled and had no idea what Mako was talking about, but she set the plate down and returned to the counter. After a few minutes, Mako's voice grew even louder. Yun turned and saw him pointing to his "diagram" excitedly. Lillian was nodding enthusiastic. Yun had overheard the entire conversation and hadn't understood a word of it, but Lillian seemed to understand what he was getting at.

"Mako, you're a genius!" Lillian exclaimed when he had finished with his explanation.

Mako looked pleased, but he waved his hand dismissively and said gruffly, "Unfounded compliments are unlucky. Now, if my theories prove correct, then you may praise me."

"All right, then," Lillian said with a giggle. "I'll take my compliment back until further notice."

By the time they left the shop, it was already dark. The warm Spring day had become cool and Lillian shivered.

"Walk with me for a bit," Mako said. His tone was strange, serious and yet somehow distracted.

They walked following the course of the river, heading towards Mako's house. Despite the chill, it was a beautiful night. The air was scented with the blossoms that grew along the river and in the trees. The only sounds were their won footsteps and the chirping of the tree frogs. They finally stopped near Gombe's fields, opposite Mako's orchard.

"I have missed you," Mako said. "Much more than I expected."

"I missed you too," Lillian whispered. She could feel her cheeks turning pink and despite the darkness, she lowered her face so that Mako could not see. He reached up and touched Lillian's face, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. After a moment she closed her eyes and leaned into the caress.

"I'm not a young man-" Mako began, but he was interrupted.

"I don't care about that! I know there's a big gap in our ages, I know people will judge us and say things and I know that- that I'd be widowed young, but there are no guarantees in life! I- I could marry Kana be still be widowed young. I don't care! I just...I love you!" Lillian covered her face with her hands, overwhelmed by her outburst.

"I have also thought about those things," Mako said. "...except the part about Kana..."

"And?"

"I thought about all those things and I, also, do not care. I love you, Lillian!"

"Oh, Mako!" Lillian jumped up and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Then, embarrassed by her actions, she hid her face against his chest. He gently stroked her hair, murmuring soothing words. After a few moments, she felt calmer and raised her to Mako. He bent down and kissed her.


End file.
